Underlying Cause
by pesi
Summary: It's flu season and Sara is not sick......CathSara friendship GSR
1. Chapter 1

**Underlying Cause**

**Summery- Its flu season and Sara is ****NOT**** sick…..Cath Sara friendship and GSR.**

**A/N thanks to Robyn for betaing this**

Sara Sidle felt terrible, like someone had taken a sledgehammer to her head and was currently roasting her in an oven. No one else seemed to be cooking alive as they all sat in the break room; in fact no one else seemed remotely bothered by the stifling heat. It probably had something to do with the AC being on and it actually being was pleasantly cool in the lab. Sara had felt ill since she got up the day before and it had slowly been getting worse. By the time she'd reached work tonight all she wanted to do was lay down in the dark and wait for every part of her to stop aching.

"Assignments," announced Ecklie breezing in predictably late as he had been for the past three nights since taking over supervising the nightshift while Grissom was away at a conference. Fortunately Grissom was due back in a day. Sara leaned forward and began massaging her temples as the sudden noise irritated her headache.

"D.B. at a construction site for Catherine, Nick and Sara. Enjoy," said Ecklie holding the slip out slightly. The balding assistant lab director was surprised when Nick was the first to reach it.

"I'll drive," announced Catherine. Sara slowly got to her feet and forced her tired limbs to walk out of the room following her fellow CSI's down the hallway.

"You're a bit slow this morning," commented Catherine hanging back having noticed Sara's laid-back composure and the extremely pale tint of her skin.

"Did you have time to eat after that double?" asked Catherine thinking maybe the younger female had not had anything to eat. The slim brunette was known for going almost whole shifts without consuming any food and ending up on the verge of collapse before doing anything about it.

"Yeah," replied Sara ignoring Catherine's worried gaze.

"Okay," replied Catherine still not entirely satisfied with the answer but knowing she was getting nothing more out the brunette.

The car journey consisted of Nick and Catherine talking in the front and Sara giving the occasional grunt at timed intermissions when the driver and front passenger would look at her. She hadn't been listening to a word either was saying which was why she became slightly confused when they pulled into a gas station just out of town.

"Come in Sara," said Catherine wondering why she looked so confused. "I'll buy you some food while Nicky gets the gas," she smiled.

"Where is this scene?" asked Sara reluctantly getting out the car.

"At a new housing development. I believe the brochure tag-line is '_Away from the city in the quiet of the desert'_."

"So basically the middle of no where," said Nick having filed the tank up and caught up with the women up in the shop. Catherine began piling snacks onto the cash desk. Nick paid for it all before a hot dog was brandished at Sara.

"No meat," smiled Catherine forcing it into her hand. Sara knew what Catherine was up to. She was making sure she ate which normally would not have been a problem but Sara had developed a stomach ache to match her headache since leaving the lab; food was the last thing on her mind. Nick had already eaten his by the time they got back to the Tahoe and Sara slowly began chewing at hers.

It wasn't until they arrived twenty minutes later Sara finished the bun regretting it as her stomach ache worsened making her queasy.

"Hey David," shouted Nick seeing him waiting over by the body. "He looks like he's been here awhile. I'll go snap on some overalls so he can take the body," the Texan finished grabbing his camera and jogging over.

"Sara," Catherine touched Sara's arm as she got out the car stopping her from walking off. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Sara caught Catherine's eye checking her over her way she did with suspects. "Just a headache," tried Sara hoping to alleviate Catherine's concern.

"I've got some aspirin in the glove box," Catherine had barely got the sentence out before Sara was digging through the small compartment the brunette's actions serving only to make the blonde even more suspicious about her condition.

It had to have been a big scene. David had taken the body over two hours ago and they were still processing. Sara's headache had gone but her stomach ache was getting worse and making her nauseous, which, when handling bodily fluids wasn't very helpful.

"Done," announced Catherine walking over to Sara her hands in the air in triumph. "How are you doing?" she asked as Nick grinned at her.

"Okay, I know I sounded like Joey," sighed Catherine plopping the evidence bags she had in her hands down next to Sara.

"How's the headache?" asked Catherine noticing that no colour had returned to Sara and there was a faint line of sweat coating her forehead, although, that could be attributed to spending the past hour crawling in a hole looking for bullet casings.

"Better," answered Sara doing her best smile though it came out more as a grimace.

"Done as well," called Nick.

"Yeah, I'm done," sighed Sara dropping the last shell casing into the bag.

When they arrived back at the lab Sara was embarrassed to find she had fallen asleep on the way back and was now been woken by Catherine repeating her name.

"Sorry," muttered Sara embarrassed and almost leaping from the car.

"Don't be, you look like you could use some sleep," smiled Catherine noticing colour returning to Sara. Unfortunately the colour was from the hot flash Sara was having.

Sara quickly lost Catherine once back at the lab and took her evidence to the layout room. Once inside and the blind was pulled Sara slumped down across the table spreading her arms out trying to cool herself off. As the door handle clicked she quickly sat back up on the stool blowing stray hair from her face.

"Hey," smiled Nick coming in and dropping his evidence bags down. Sara guessed he wasn't going anywhere any time soon as he pulled up a stool. She tried her best to work but it took so much longer than normal with the overwhelming heat and the pain emanating from her stomach. The nausea was beginning to take hold and she considered just leaving and sitting in the bathroom in case she got sick but honestly she couldn't be bothered to move; her body ached that bad.

Sara didn't get sick that often and didn't like to admit it when she was, but now was becoming one of those times when she wished she could just say she felt horrible and have someone, preferably Grissom, look after her. Looking across to Nick she didn't want him fussing over her.

"Found anything?" asked Catherine coming in.

"Lots of nothing," replied Nick.

"Nothing," mumbled Sara putting her elbows on the table in front of her and lowering her head into her hands.

"Sara, are you okay?" Catherine resisted the urge to go around and mothering the ill CSI because she was fairly certain she'd get a slap if she did. "Nick, why don't you go check on the body," suggested Catherine giving the strong jawed male a look that made him leave, shutting the door behind him.

"Sara, what's wrong?" asked Catherine pulling a stool up beside the slumped brunette and sitting down. "It's okay to admit you're ill," she got no reply. "Lindsey's just like this; will not tell me because she thinks it makes her weak. And she hates it when I fuss over her. Sara, please tell me what's wrong. Grissom told me to keep an eye on you while he was gone." She knew mentioning Grissom was going to get a response.

"I feel like crap," came the short reply getting a small smile from Catherine. Sara moved her hands from her face and wrapped them around her stomach. "It's too hot, my stomach is killing me; I just want to throw up and have it done with, okay?"

"No, I don't think that's okay" said Catherine placing a hand on Sara's burning forehead. "You've got a fever. How long have you felt like this?"

"I started feeling sick at the scene. Not too bad, but now it's worse," Sara brought her head down against the table allowing the glass to cool her. Catherine couldn't help but smile a little, Sara obviously was not used to been sick.

"Come on, let's get you home."

"I'm okay," replied Sara not moving her head from the table.

"Oh yeah, you look it," said Catherine sarcastically. "Come on, I'll drive you."

"Case," muttered Sara beginning to take deep breath as the nausea began to creep on again.

"Nick can handle it by himself for a bit and Greg's back from court now so he can help…Sara your turning grey," pointed out Catherine as the colour in Sara's cheeks turned a sickly grey. Sara didn't reply but clamped a hand to her mouth and stumbled up on shaky legs.

"Okay," Catherine was on her feet behind her. Grabbing her by the shoulders and steering her out of the room and into the ladies bathroom getting lots of strange looks. Sara didn't really know where she was going, she was just being pushed from behind. She was too busy trying to keep the rising bile down' it was a battle she lost just as one hand reached to open the door to the toilets. She retched coughing on the fowl taste and made a last attempt at getting to the toilet; failing, she vomited just outside the stall. Tears stung at her eyes from embarrassment and feeling so horrible.

"It's alright," Catherine's hand and arms wrapped around Sara's middle: partly holding her up one hand rubbing comforting circles on her back. Sara didn't have time to reply as she dived into the next stall getting sick again.

"If Grissom finds out you came to work in this state he'll have me on paper work for week," said Catherine bending down next to Sara and pulling her hair from her face as she heaved a few more times before flushing the toilet and falling back against the wall.

"Better"? asked Catherine pushing Sara's hair behind her ears and feeling her forehead.

"No," mumbled Sara clutching at her stomach.

"You're burning up," Catherine sighed getting up and taking some paper towels. Shoving them under the cold tap she brought them over, placing one on Sara's forehead and then the other on the nape of her neck.

"He asked you to look after me?" mumbled Sara.

"Yeah, I'm doing a great job. Actually his exact words were 'Make sure she sleeps, eats and doesn't let Bruno on the bed'," said Catherine doing a rather poor impersonation of Grissom. "When you're ready we'll go and I'll phone Gil so you can complain to him that you're sick and he's not here and I can complain about it as well," said Catherine getting a half smile from Sara.

TBC ………………… (re posted because as pionted out by dancingdreams i put Grissom instead of Ecklie at one piont) 

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	2. Chapter 2

Sara leaned back against the wall forcing the tears not fall, though, her eyes glistened with them and her body shook as she forced back another wave of nausea.

"Can you walk?" asked Catherine using her best concerned-maternal voice.

"Yeah," said Sara, her voice wobbling as she replied.

"Okay, take your time," said Catherine as Sara pushed the paper towels Catherine was holding to her away and attempted to stand on shaking legs. It took Catherine wrapping an arm around her middle and supporting most of her slight weight before Sara was able to stand. "Alright, lets take it slow," instructed Catherine as she began walking step-by-step with Sara, still supporting her. It felt like Catherine was hugging a radiator with the intense heat emanating off Sara.

The two females caused quite a stir when they emerged from the bathrooms. After the lab rats had seen Sara diving in there at high speed they had been discussing what might be going on.

"Hey," detective Jim Brass' voice startled Catherine slightly nearly causing her to lose her grip on Sara, which, she believed, would have sent Sara to the floor. The brunette didn't seem to be holding any of her own weight. "Are you okay? You look…" Brass was searching for a polite way to say horrible.

"Thanks," mumbled Sara barely opening her mouth for fear of the rest of her stomach contents escaping.

"Could you help me get her to the car?" asked Catherine. Brass promptly went to Sara's aide, wrapping an arm just under Catherine's and taking most of Sara's weight; though there wasn't much to take. The two managed to get Sara to the garage without incident and after the glare Catherine gave Hodges for staring all the lab techs had busied themselves.

"I can walk by myself," muttered Sara feeling slightly better. Enough so that she could argue about been looked after, even if she needed it.

"You're doing a great job of it," replied Catherine sarcastically as Sara sat in the passenger seat of her Tahoe.

"I must be better if you mocking me," replied Sara leaning back in the chair trying to curl her legs up to ease the pain in her stomach.

"Well, I've got to get you out of here because if I leave you around the lab too long someone will think David lost a corpse and take you to the morgue. You're going home. No arguments."

Sara knew she wasn't well enough to be at work, she just didn't want to admit it.

"Jim, can you do me a big favour?" asked Catherine giving her best smile. "Tell Ecklie what's going on and let him know Greg's going to help Nick."

"Oh, I get all the best jobs," said Brass monotone.

"If he argues just send him around and I'll get Sara to projectile vomit on him."

"Urgh," came a small moan from the car as one of Sara's eye prised open.

"Sorry," smiled Catherine brushing Sara's hair from her face.

"I'm not a dog. Don't pet me," said Sara in a voice so low it could have been a growl.

"Good Sara," grinned Catherine stroking her head knowing Sara didn't have the energy to do anything about it.

"I'm sick, leave me alone," muttered Sara.

"Brass, you heard that an admission," shouted Catherine getting into the car as Brass walked away.

"No wonder Lindsey doesn't admit she's sick if this is how you treat her," said Sara eyes once again closed.

"Well if you weren't both so stubborn I wouldn't…." Catherine trailed of her rant seeing the brunette curl herself up on the seat as she pulled off. "You okay?"

Sara didn't reply but drew her knees up as far as she could wrapping her arms around her stomach. It suddenly occurred to Catherine she hadn't thought this all the way through; Sara was looking decidedly green and she had nothing should Sara get sick. Not that it mattered much when Sara was ill, but still, the prospect of having to clean her car wasn't welcoming.

"I don't want to puke in your car," came a whisper as if she had read Catherine's mind.

"Its okay, the car will clean. It's you I'm worried about now," replied Catherine trying to turn the corner as gently as possible and not jolt the car.

"Gil, come home soon," muttered Sara leaning her head against the cool glass. She didn't know she'd said it out loud, she just wanted him to be there, holding her, making her feel better. Instead of the phone call each night where after she hung up she'd sit on the floor crying. She knew he was coming back she didn't even understand why she cried.

"You really don't feel well do you?" Asked Catherine softly as the younger woman trembled slightly as her stomach cramped.

Catherine drove for the twenty minutes to Sara and Grissom's town house in silence with the odd noise coming form Sara. She'd been to Grissom's once since Sara moved in but that was only a step inside the door while Grissom grabbed a file. No time to examine the inside.

"Are you okay to walk?" asked Catherine turning the engine off as she parked in the drive.

"Yeah," replied Sara reluctantly moving her head from the door. Catherine went around and helped Sara out, taking the house keys from her pocket. It took Catherine two attempts to find the right key and Sara wasn't much help, leaning up against her mumbling. Once inside Sara went straight to the sofa laying down and curling up not even bothering to look at what Catherine was doing. Catherine dropped the keys on the counter after shutting the door. The décor had changed since it was just Grissom; although framed butterflies still lined the walls they had been painted lilac. Defiantly not Grissom's choice and there were items lying around indicating someone actually lived there rather than the sterile environment before. Pictures of Grissom and Sara were dotted around in frames. Just as Catherine picked one of Sara and Grissom on a beach up barking caused her to drop it.

"Hank," muttered Sara as the offending dog ran into the room barking.

"Whoa, he doesn't bite, does he?" asked Catherine as the dog ran at her then sat in front of her, tail wagging.

"No," mumbled Sara. "Hank go to bed," commanded Sara as best she could. Catherine patted the dog before he ran off again.

"Hank?" she said with a smile going over to Sara who was still lying down. "Who chose that name?"

"The last owner; we tried different ones but he only answers to Hank," said Sara.

"How appropriate," grinned Catherine.

"You can go now," muttered Sara opening her eyes. "Ecklie will be having a fit."

"I don't give a damn about Ecklie. This was supposed to be my night off."

"Then don't spend it here," replied the sick female taking deep breath as nausea washed over her.

"You're not getting rid of me. Now where's your thermometer?" asked Catherine standing up and walking towards the hallway.

"Bathroom cabinet," replied Sara not having the energy to fight her.

Catherine found the bathroom after having a quick peek at all the other rooms even though the bathroom was the first one she came to. The nosey blonde took the thermometer and some aspirin back to Sara.

"No pills," Sara as she sat up. "I don't want to put anything in my body."

"You need to keep drinking water or you'll get dehydrated," said Catherine sticking the thermometer in Sara's ear. She was certain Sara had a fever from her flushed face and the heat coming of her. Sure enough the thermometer beeped at 101.9

"Well done, you have a fever. I'm going to get you some water," said Catherine going into the kitchen and rummaging through the cupboards until she found a glass, a bowl and a washcloth. She filed the bowl and glass with water and went back over to where Sara was sitting rocking slightly.

"Stomach hurting?" asked Catherine dropping the cloth into the water.

"Yeah," muttered Sara grateful for the cool as the cloth was pressed against her forehead. She sat for a moment enjoying the brief relief when she felt the bile begin to rise in her throat again.

"I'm gonna be sick," Sara got out all in one breath while pushing Catherine. Luckily Catherine possessed decent reflexes. She had grabbed the nearby trashcan and shoved it under Sara just in time.

"Thanks," muttered Sara gratefully taking the glass of water when she was done coughing on the fowl taste.

Once Catherine had Sara settled again, lying down with the washcloth draped over her forehead, Catherine found an old bucket and brought it over encase Sara got sick. Sitting down it hit her how tired she was because the next thing she knew she was been woken by the toilet flushing.

Rubbing her eyes to wake herself up Catherine saw a very pale Sara emerge from the hallway holding onto the wall for support.

"You've been sick again?" asked Catherine going over to her and helping her back to the sofa.

"No. I think it's a stomach virus," replied Sara laying down arms wrapped around her abdomen.

"Lindsey had that the a couple weeks ago. You defiantly need to keep drinking water," said Catherine feeling Sara's forehead again and trying to decide if she was getting worse.

"Cath no," said Sara in the best stern voice she could manage but Catherine kept the glass there until Sara drank a few mouthfuls. Then she let her lay down again and within a few minutes Sara was asleep, her body exhausted.

Once Sara was asleep Catherine slipped outside the back door and pulled out her cell phone not wanting to wake Sara. She dialled. It rang for a while then went to voicemail.

"This is Gil Grissom, leave a message."

"Gil its Catherine. Sara's really sick and she could use some cheering up. Call me back at your house."

TBC ………………… 


	3. Chapter 3

Sara woke a few hours later to the smell of coffee and was surprised when her stomach didn't revolt again her. She found herself lying on the sofa feeling dirty having slept in her clothes. God knew what she must have looked like; her pants were all wrinkled and she cautiously put a hand to her hair to find what frizz didn't begin to describe.

"Morning," smiled Catherine standing across the room sipping her coffee. "How are you feeling?" she instinctively reached out and felt Sara's forehead only to get her hand slapped in the process.

"Better," smiled Sara.

"Well, you still have a temperature," said Catherine comparing Sara's head to her coffee mug. She deciding they were both the same temperature, despite one having come from a kettle.

"I'm going to take a shower. If you want one you…..You stayed all this time?" asked Sara catching on as she lumbered towards her bedroom to get some clean clothes.

"You catch on quick," teased Catherine as the toaster popped. At least there was no need to tell her to make herself at home, she had clearly done so already.

"That's why I'm a CSI," muttered Sara now heading for the bathroom arms laden with clean clothes.

Twenty minutes later Sara had returned from her shower now dressed in brown spants and a red tee shirt that seemed to amplify how pale she was. Her hair was slightly damp and hung in limp curls that Sara usually went to great lengths to straighten but today she didn't care.

"It looks nice like that," said Catherine catching Sara pulling at one of her curls.

"It makes me look girly. That drained my life force," muttered Sara sitting down looking worse for wear but feeling more human in clean clothes.

"Here," Catherine had been busy. She had made a plate of toast and poured the sick brunette some orange juice. Sara was fairly certain the pulpy drink had not been in their fridge making her wonder where Catherine had produced it from.

In the time Sara had been asleep Catherine had examined the whole house looking in each room: at the decoration, at each photo of Sara and Grissom. One room with more books than the state library was adorned with photos of Grissom on roller coasters with a few new additions of him and Sara, she couldn't help but notice how in each picture they both looked so happy even when it was simply him and Sara walking Hank or one Catherine had to smile at: a photo, which, according to the title was a coaster called 'Beast'. Sara looked terrified and was gripping Grissom's hand. It was clear they had been living together for some time from they way each other lives were intermingled in the house; not disjointed and shoved.

Her two geeky friends however had the same culinary choice as the last time Catherine had come and it was just Grissom so while Sara was asleep she had gone to the shop and restocked the fridge.

"Come on, you need to eat," said Catherine as Sara reluctantly started munching on her toast after realizing Catherine wasn't going anywhere until she did.

An hour passed and Sara still wasn't too sure why Catherine was still at her house. She was now lying curled up on the sofa her stomach ache coming back with avenge after eating two slices of toast and some cereal when she found herself hungry. Catherine was seated in an armchair flicking through TV channels having made Sara sit though some weird reality show.

"You can go Cath," said Sara barley above a whisper because her body didn't feel like talking.

"I know," replied Catherine not tuning to face her. "I want to sit, and before you ask, Lindsey is at a sleepover and as much as I want to phone and check on her I don't want to damage her 'cool' status."

"Why stay? So you can get sick too?" asked Sara trying to shift position to ease the nausea beginning to take hold.

"I'd enjoy some time off work," smiled Catherine turning to face her and noting Sara was starting to look as bad as she had the night before. Her forehead was lined with sweat, her skin mottled white and grey and her arms wrapped around her stomach.

"Not feeling so good?" asked Catherine immediately standing up and sitting next to Sara.

"No," came the muffled reply. "I feel sick."

"Okay," Catherine replied knowing how hard it was for Sara to just admit that. She placed a hand on her forehead; her temperature seemed to have gone up. She then grabbed the bucket and placed it in front of Sara who had gone completely white and was shaking slightly.

"Sara you okay?" Catherine was concerned about the younger women. In reply to Catherine, Sara shot forwards and vomited into the bucket her body shaking as she did. Sara felt the tears sting at her eyes as her stomach contents made an unwelcome appearance, she was embarrassed for being sick in front of Catherine again, angry at herself for been ill and most of all she felt horrible.

"Okay honey," Catherine pulled Sara's hair back as she continued to retch and rubbed circles on her back.

"Cath," Sara's voice was weak and distant all her energy had gone and everything moving around her wasn't helping.

"Sara….damn," Sara's body fell limp against Catherine's as she fainted.

"Damn fainting…get legs elevated," Catherine spoke to herself jumping up and carefully laying Sara down on the sofa pulling her knees up to get the blood flow to her head.

There was a soft noise and Sara's eyes fluttered back open.

"Sara, It's okay you fainted," said Catherine kneeling down beside her stroking her hair back from her burning face. She found her own hand not that steady but she shook off the unease and concentrated on what to do now.

It was at that moment the front door swung open making both women jump.

"Surprise," came the familiar voce of Gil Grissom. As it turned out he was the one getting the surprise. The last thing he expected to see when he walked in was this sight; maybe Hank running at him barking, possibly Sara just in from a shift or asleep. Not Sara lying on the sofa looking like she should be in the morgue with Catherine kneeling down next to her looking like a rabbit in the headlights.

**TBC …………………..**


	4. Chapter 4

"I phoned you," shouted Catherine frustration seeding into anger.

"What's going on? Sara?" He dropped the bags he was carrying in the doorway and went straight over to the brunette on the couch who was still out of it.

"She's been really sick. She just fainted," explained Catherine moving out of the way, her eyes fixed on something she rarely saw; Grissom showing compassion. He was kneeling down stroking Sara's cheek wrapping his hand around her smaller one.

"Sick," mumbled Sara.

"I can see you are," replied Grissom almost getting head butted as Sara sat up.

Catherine, realizing Sara wasn't telling Grissom what was wrong, shoved the bucket under the heaving female just in time as she was violently sick before her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell back against the sofa.

"This isn't normal. We need to take her to the ER," said Catherine already taking charge because Grissom looked so lost. "I'll drive," She said grabbing her car keys and a washing up bowl. "Encase she wakes up and is sick again," Catherine explained while Grissom gently lifted Sara off the sofa, holding her burning body close to his, her slim frame barely weighing anything. Grissom gently placed Sara in the back of the Tahoe. Trying to get her seatbelt on was difficult and he wasn't sure if he should even try. After a few seconds of struggling as she came to, he gave in and climbed in next to her, pulling her body across his and holding her firmly. Catherine got in the front glancing quickly in the back to check that they were okay before setting off.

"She's coming around," said Grissom as a few mumblings came from the crumpled heap on his lap.

"Gil?" it sounded more like a question than a statement and it was. Sara wasn't sure if she was hallucinating because she was sure Grissom was cradling her like a child, while the world moved.

"I'm here," reassured Grissom stroking her hair back. "It's okay, we're going to hospital."

"Urgh," came an unrecognizable sound as Sara tried to focus on his face without getting sick again.

"Sara, stay with us okay," shouted Catherine from the front.

"Cath," whispered Sara trying to sit up but failing.

"Yes," said Catherine glancing in the mirror and seeing Grissom holding Sara on his lap her head resting against his shoulder her eyes threatening to close again.

"Sara, stay awake," shouted Catherine turning the corner a bit fast as the car behind honked.

"Cath, if we could there in one piece…" said Grissom, his voice surprisingly calm considering his hands were shaking.

"Hospital…" It had taken a while for that piece of information to penetrate Sara's sluggish brain but now that she was more alert.

"Yeah, we'll have you sorted out soon," replied Catherine.

"I don't want to go. Take me home," said Sara forming her first coherent sentence since waking, looking sternly at Grissom as she spoke.

"Sara, you passed out twice honey. You need to see a doctor," said Grissom holding her a little tighter as he wouldn't put jumping out of the car past her if she got worked up about something.

"Headache," muttered Sara rubbing her temples as her cheeks flushed red when her body temperature rose. Grissom had his arms wrapped around her waist her body perched half on the seat half across his legs shaking just noticeably.

"We're nearly there," announced Catherine more reassuring herself than anyone. "I think she's dehydrated," she added glancing in the mirror and regretting it as she saw Sara's condition. Her skin was porcelain white with her checks flushed red and sweat clearly visible.

"She is here," mumbled Sara waving her hand at Grissom in an attempt to get him to release his hold around her because it was making her nauseous.

Grissom wasn't too sure what his reply to that should be so kept quiet as Catherine swung the car around the corner into the hospital parking lot. Grissom didn't realize how close to getting covered in yesterday's dinner he was.

Catherine pulled the car violently into a space and flung the door open getting out and getting tangled in her seatbelt that she'd forgotten to undo. By the time she'd untangled herself Grissom was out of the car supporting Sara who point blank refused to be carried despite the facts he was shaking like a leaf. Between the two of them Catherine and Grissom managed to get a moaning Sara into the entrance of the ER without her colliding face first with the floor.

"It's a flu. I do no need to be at hospital," muttered Sara trying to dig her heels in but Catherine and Grissom were too strong for her in her current state.

"Flu can be very serious," said Grissom dragging Sara to the unoccupied admit desk.

"Hello," shouted Catherine banging on the desk. A nurse turned around ready go give Catherine a mouthful but stopped dead.

"Get a gurney," she shouted behind her and a women in a lab coat appeared through a door with two nurses.

"She's passed out twice," said Catherine as Sara was forced onto a gurney and wheeled around the back, Catherine and Grissom jogging to keep pace as Sara was wheeled into a side room.

They were forced back as the sudden rush of people began working on Sara.

"Who have we got?" the doctor asked looking at Grissom.

"Sara Sidle," replied Grissom

"Any known allergies?"

"No."

"And you are?" she asked.

"Fiancé," replied Grissom causing Catherine to nearly bite her own tongue off but she kept quiet. She had had an idea anyway but him saying those words was quite a shock.

"Okay, you can stay but keep out the way," she said as numbers and orders were shouted.

"Dehydrated," said a younger man, also in a lab coat, who then instructed a nurse who was setting up a drip to do something. The flurry of activity seemed to last forever to Grissom but eventually the amount of people in the room died down and the doctor turned to him indicating he could come over. Sara was now lying in a hospital gown. Grissom wasn't too sure when she had been changed as he'd been focussing on the floor for the past five minutes to stop himself from going insane with worry. She had a drip going into her right arm and was propped up on a pile of pillows looking slightly better then before.

"I'm doctor Childs," the lady said introducing herself properly to Grissom and Catherine.

"Miss Sidle's suffering from dehydration and we suspect a virus. I've sent some blood work off so once we've got those results we'll know more. Until then rest," she said turning to Sara who nodded. Once Dr Childs had left Grissom immediately pulled Sara into an embrace.

"This is all very well but who's going to look after me when I catch it?" asked Catherine once Grissom had released Sara and was just holding onto her hand gently in his own.

"Warrick," he replied simply. Catherine's mouth nearly hit the floor causing a small smile to spread across Sara's face.

"What?" asked Catherine managing to shut her mouth.

"Believe it or not I have become more intuitive to peoples relationships and yours and Warrick's flirting is obvious," said Grissom as Sara nodded.

"Even Hodges noticed," said Sara her voice still sounding weak.

"Great… Congratulations on your engagement," sighed Catherine. "I better go phone and check to make sure my mom got back okay," she said leaving Grissom and Sara alone for bit as Sara turned to look at Grissom who simply gave her a boyish grin.

When Catherine came back Grissom had placed a chair alongside Sara's bed for her to sit on as he perched on the side of the bed. Catherine had only been sitting down for a minute when Dr Childs came back in.

"I've got the results. Would you like to speak in private?" she asked looking at Catherine who immediately got up.

"No, it's okay. We've kept enough things private," said Sara who was beginning to realize that she had to let people in.

"Right. Well you'll be pleased to know it's just a stomach virus but it hit you so hard because you immune system has been compromised."

Sara interrupted, "Compromised?"

"Yes, during the first months of pregnancy your--"

This time Grissom interrupted, "Pregnancy?"

"You ruined my flow," smiled Dr Child. "Congratulations, you're pregnant."

All three jaws hit he floor.

"Is it okay? I mean with everything?" asked Sara playing with her drip.

"We'll keep an eye on you but this should have no long term effects. But due to your weakened immune system you'll have to be admitted for several days," she smiled. "I'll leave you to let it sink in."

"Maybe I should as well," said Catherine standing again.

"Yes," replied Grissom his voice monotone. This worried Catherine slightly as to how he was taking the news but Sara was still beaming away. "If you could phone the others. Get them here, we'll tell everyone at once."

"You're happy?" asked Catherine not meaning for it to have come out as bluntly as it did.

"We had a scare awhile back. We talked through everything then," replied Sara her fingers now laced with Grissom's.

"Oh. I'll go phone then," said Catherine walking away then turning around and pulling them into a big hug. "Only you who could get everything at once: dehydration, virus, and pregnant," smiled Catherine leaving.

"You're still okay with everything you said before?" asked Sara once Catherine was gone.

"I am," he replied a smile finally spreading across his face.

THE END


End file.
